Jiminy-py

The main objective of this release was to upgrade all the dependencies (Python and C++) to the latest version, which has not been done since more than 1 year already. It comes with fully supporting of Python 3.10, initial support of 3.11 (no `gym_jiminy`), and dropping of Python<3.8. In addition, many bugs have been fixed. Most of them are related to the viewer, but some others are related to the core engine and are more critical. Finally, high quality type hints are now provided for the python bindings of jiminy core.

New features

* [core/python] Generate stubs (Python type hints) for `jiminy_py` including C++ core.
* [gym/common] Add framerate limiter wrapper.
* [gym/rllib] Full async training and evaluation with fail-safe replay and video recording.

Improvements

* [python/simulator] Raise exception when importing option file with unknown keys.
* [python/viewer] Add asynchronous replay then record utility.
* [python/viewer] Speed-up onscreen rendering for Panda3d.
* [python/viewer] Less aggressive and more distinctive default colors.
* [python|gym] Add option to overwrite default viewer arguments at instantiation.

Patches and bug fixes

* [core] 'getFrameIdx' now returns first frame with desired name available.
* [core] Fix viscoelastic force coupling.
* [core] Fix flexibility model internal force.
* [core] Fix wrong contact forces when continuously updating sensors but not controller.
* [core] Fix wrong computation of initial forces and accelerations if constraints are active.
* [core] Fix sign inconsistency between 'ContactSensor' and 'ForceSensor'.
* [core/python] No longer drop hresult return argument in bindings.
* [core/python] Fix raise exception when getting invalid sensor data.
* [python/plot] Improve support of tabbed figures in notebooks.
* [python/viewer] Fix panda3d hanging indefinitely in some cases.
* [python/viewer] Fix antialiasing causing black screen on some configs for panda3d.
* [python/viewer] Fix 'play_log_files' default args when no backend is running.
* [python/viewer] Fix backend not cleanly terminated on close for panda3d.
* [python/viewer] Fix viewer broken after keyboard interrupt during replay for panda3d.
* [python/viewer] Fix legend centering and scaling for panda3d.
* [python/viewer] Fix legend rendering failure in some cases for panda3d.
* [python/viewer] Fix edge-cases in backend selection during replay.
* [python/viewer] Fix start paused mode not working if no window already opened.
* [misc] Fix broken pip devel mode install with easy intall script.
* [misc] Fix compilation failure on gcc-12.

Miscellaneous

* [misc] Add full support of Python 3.10, partial support of 3.11 (no gym_jiminy).
* [misc] Drop support of Ubuntu 18.04 and Python<=3.8.
* [misc] Update all dependencies to latest version (Python, C++, ...).
* [misc] Improve compilation speed and reduce memory pressure on Windows OS.
* [misc] Fix memory alignment issues and enable AVX2 on Windows and Linux CI.
* [python/viewer] Migrate from deprecated 'pyppeteer' to 'playwright' for Meshcat.
* [gym/envs] Remove unused Spotmicro environment.

This release fixes many bugs that has been introduced along the way. Notably, the discontinuity of the integration state and IMU measurements have been fixed, as well as the contact dynamics.

Improvements

* [core] Move Baumgarte Stabilization freq from constraint to contact to avoid affecting user-specified constraints.
* [core] Distance constraint reference now reset to current but can be updated.
* [core/python] More pythonic bindings for EngineMultiRobot. (559)
* [core|python] Unify log reading/writing.
* [python/viewer] Add method to show/hide floor programmatically.

Patches and bug fixes

* [python/robot] More robust hardware config file parsing.
* [core] Fix sensor not properly initialized before calling reset at least once. (550)
* [core] Fix segfault at start for multi-robot simulation.
* [core] Fix sensor not properly initialized before calling reset at least once.
* [core] Fix Viscoelastic coupling force computation. (553)
* [core] Fix expose registered force profiles and impulses. (557)
* [core] Fix bugs in creation of flexible model.
* [core] Fix integrate SE3 buggy in place.
* [core] Fix continuity of the quaternion of IMU sensors.
* [core] Fix constraints relying on wrong acceleration (classical not spatial).
* [core] Fix sphere and wheel constraints.
* [core/python] Fix 'forceCoupling_t::systemIdx1' expose typo.
* [python/robot] Fix exception creating robot with non-existing urdf.
* [python/simulator] Fix default plot 'block' argument.
* [python/simulator] Fix native python exception handling at start.
* [python/log] Fix creating robot from log on windows.
* [python/viewer] Fix handling of non-existing Jupyter server in notebook.
* [python/viewer] Fix exception when no collision bodies are specified.
* [gym/envs] Fix ANYmal env. (561)
* [misc] Fix broken easy install dependencies.
* [misc] Fix optional dependencies issues.

Miscellaneous

* [core/python] Do not register converters if already existing.
* [core|python] Rename log processing helpers.
* [misc] Add more python example scripts.
* [misc] Relax numpy version requirement.
* [misc] Cmake config file now properly export dependencies.
* [misc] Fix cmake config file error when 'find_package' is called twice.

Adding flexibility at fixed frame is now fully supported and the integration in notebooks have been greatly improved. The interactive viewer is now working much better, notably on [Mybinder](https://mybinder.org/v2/gh/duburcqa/jiminy.git/demo?labpath=tutorial.ipynb) or Kaggle. As a fallback, a static video mode for notebooks has been added and is used preferably on google colab that is still working unreliably. Besides, meshes with texture are now loading properly in Meshcat.

https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/17752950/174389897-9911370b-0e08-4c73-885c-b58d86142672.mp4

New features

* [python/viewer] Load collada mesh with texture in Meshcat.
* [python/viewer] Add video replay in notebook as a fallback.

Improvements

* [core] Add rest length to directional coupling force.
* [python/viewer] Add option to resize video recordings.
* [python/viewer] Improve support of interactive mode in notebook.
* [core] Adding deformation point at frame no longer requires a valid URDF file.

Patches and bug fixes

* [core] Backup URDF as string right when initializing the robot for persistence.
* [core] Force persistent log mode if no urdf associated with robot.
* [core] Check if acceleration is still valid after starting the simulation.
* [core] Fix serialization issue when importing pinocchio before jiminy.
* [core] Fix segfault when initializing motor with non-existing joint.
* [core] Fix wrong geometry parent joint and placement after adding flexibility.
* [core] Fix adding flexibility at frames at successive fixed frames.
* [core|python] Fix access and view of theoretical model.
* [python/viewer] Fix capsule shading in Meshcat.
* [python/viewer] Fix exception handling when closing viewer during replay.
* [python/viewer] Fix iopub msg rate limit in notebook.
* [misc] Fix video recording with panda3d for cpu-only machine.

Miscellaneous

* [python/viewer] Add watchdog mechanism to handle loss connections in notebook.
* [misc] Update all dependencies.
* [misc] 'torch' dependency is optional for gym_jiminy_toolbox.
* [misc] Add support of Python 3.10 except for `gym_jiminy_rllib`.
* [misc] Drop support of Python 3.6 and 3.7 on MacOS.

This release fixes a bunch of bugs mainly introduced by the previous one and extend the serialization to geometry models to support convex shapes.

Improvements

* [core] Add serialization of convex geometries.
* [python/viewer] Enhance lighting for panda3d.

Patches and bug fixes

* [core|python] Fix read/write of log files for HDF5 and CSV formats.
* [python/log] Fix deserialization of pinocchio models in log files with HDF5 format.
* [python/viewer] Fix flipped overlay for panda3d.
* [python/viewer] Fix update color and improve except handling for legend.
* [python/viewer] Fix loading of Convex geometries.
* [python/viewer] Fix shadows on floor if available with EGL driver for panda3d.

Miscellaneous

* [misc] Fix wheel deploy for gym jiminy.
* [misc] Fix gym jiminy inter-dependencies.

It is now possible to dump the whole robot (including visual and collision meshes) in log files. These standalone log files can be replayed on any system without requiring any extra file. It is convenient for sharing simulation results and safe long-term backups.

New features

* [core] Enable serialization of geometry models optionally.

Improvements

* [core] Refactor telemetry to support binary object dump as constant.
* [core] Simulation time unit is now fixed to 1e-10.
* [core] Add option to force loading visual meshes.
* [python/simulator] 'plot' is blocking by default if not interactive.
* [python/log] Build robot from logged models.
* [python/viewer] Fallback to loading geometry if path not available.
* [python/viewer] Add option to render markers on background.

Patches and bug fixes

* [core] Fix definition of time unit in log files.
* [core] Fix reading of binary log files.
* [core] Fix writing log with no data available.
* [python/plot] Fig figure sometimes rendered blank.
* [python/plot] Fix figure offscreen rendering.
* [misc] Fix python importlib usage.
* [misc] Fix crash if optional python deps are missing.

Miscellaneous

* [core] Use dynamic and non-contiguous memory for telemetry.
* [misc] Update easy install dependencies ahead of deployment.
* [misc] Refactor CI to test building extension from pip install.

This release brings some minor performance improvements. The dependency management in Python has been rationalized to allow users to select desired features and prevent version incompatibilities. Support of Python 3.10 have been prepared to be distributed as soon as wheels for all dependencies will be available. Finally, deprecated documentation has been updated.

Improvements

* [core] Minor speed up of the constraint solver.
* [core] Speed up computation of 'JMinvJt' required for constraint solving.
* [core] Use same formula to compute tolerance for stepper and contact solver.
* [misc] Meshcat and Matplotlib are now an optional requirements (meshcat,plot).

Patches and bug fixes

* [core] Update gravity attribute of theoretical model to match options.
* [core/python] HeightMapFunctor raises an exception if an output is unset.
* [python/viewer] Fix replay of multiple trajectories.

Miscellaneous

* [python/viewer] Do not enforce 'spawn' for meshcat.
* [python] Class attributes that must be set at init are no longer considered Optional.
* [misc] Fix support of avx2 instructions.
* [misc] Fix jiminy cmake library path discovery after update.
* [misc] Fix documentation and jupyter notebook tutorial.
* [misc] Fix support of Python 3.10 while building from source.
* [misc] Blacklist 'numpy>=1.21,<1.21.5' as it causes segfault of boost::python.
* [misc] Easy install script for ubuntu is now container-friendly.